Artistic Fusion Dance Academy in Thornton, Colorado, is co-owned by sisters Jennifer Jarnot and Julie Jarnot. According to Jennifer, Artistic Fusion is a place where dancers not only flourish in dance training but the studio is dedicated to shaping and challenging their minds as well. They offer a well rounded dance curriculum and have a nationally recognized competitive team. Additionally, they pride themselves in having their studio be a positive learning space so these young spirits can thrive and they bring in the best Master Teachers from around the country to share their knowledge with their dancers.
In Jennifer’s opinion, what separates their dance studio from other dance studios is that Artistic Fusion is unique for many different reasons. They offer a well rounded training program for their dancers. Their students are required to study all forms of dance and Artistic Fusion’s job is to prepare them for the real world. Their dancers need to be able to do anything asked of them at an audition or in any job or career path they choose. Artistic Fusion’s studio has a Pilates room and reformer. All of their students take Pilates to strengthen themselves from the inside out. They also take anatomy so that they are knowledgeable about their body and how it works. Their Pilates instructor is certified in injury prevention, and you can see that in their dancers and their healthy strong bodies!
The one moment that stands out to Jennifer as her proudest moment coaching is when their dancers won the National Senior Critics Choice from New York City Dance Alliance in 2010 with a piece choreographed by Tony Testa, who grew up dancing at Artistic Fusion. They saw the training come full circle and it was an unforgettable feeling.
Jennifer believes that the biggest mistakes she sees dancers make is when young kids get caught up on “trends” based on what they see on social media and then they try to emulate it. Jennifer loves to see dancers be individuals and embrace their own gifts and talents – to really take pride in being an individual and not a copy cat. At Artistic Fusion, they strive to teach these young dancers to have pride in themselves as individuals and to stand in their own light.
Artistic Fusion plans on turning their largest dance studio into a black box theater this year. It will have
retractable seating and professional lights and sound. This will allow the dancers to have more stage experience and give them opportunities to produce their own shows for the public.
Jennifer has been sharing her passion for, and knowledge of, dance for over 25 years. Raised in Cincinnati, her training has taken her from New York to Los Angeles where she danced with many influential dancers and choreographers and then on to Colorado. Julie has been a dance educator for the past 19 years. She started her teaching career in Cincinnati where she ran and managed after-school dance programs in the Greater Cincinnati area. After graduation, she took a leap of faith and moved to Colorado to join her sister with hopes of eventually opening up a dance studio.
Having a studio has been a dream of Jennifer’s since she was a child. Shortly after her sister joined her in Colorado, they realized that the time was right to take the plunge and they finally opened their own studio. So, after teaching in Colorado from 1998 to 2000, Jennifer and Julie proudly opened Artistic Fusion Dance Academy in October, 2000. With a big dream and courageous hearts, the two set out to open a dance studio that would be unique to the area and would focus on providing the highest quality dance training and education to their dancers. With a start-up company of five and an encouraging support team, the Artistic Fusion Company began and the studio quickly started to transform into a nationally recognized establishment. It was a dream come true! Fifteen years and three locations later, they are honored and humbled to be recognized as one of the Top 20 Dance Studios in the Nation (Dance Spirit Magazine), and are grateful everyday for the amazing and talented dancers that they get to work with and the inspirational families that fill their studio daily.
Artistic Fusion’s graduating seniors have earned over $750,000.00 in college scholarships under the careful guidance and mentorship of Jennifer and Julie along with their incredible hand-picked faculty. Additionally, many of their alumni have gone on to bigger and better things. Among their many alumni that are successful in the entertainment industry are Ross Lynch, Britt Stewart and Tony Testa.
Ross Lynch from the Disney Show “Austin and Ally” and his family, R5, grew up dancing at Artistic Fusion. Ross started dancing at Artistic Fusion in 2001 and trained until his move to Los Angeles in 2008! His “Austin and Ally” siblings Riker, Rydel, Ross and Ryland, also known as R5, also trained at Artistic Fusion.
Another of their alumni, Britt Stewart, has been on tour with Katy Perry this year and danced in the halftime show for the Super Bowl this year. Britt was a founding member of the Artistic Fusion Company and graduated from Artistic Fusion in 2007. Britt was on staff at Artistic Fusion as a Hip Hop, Jazz and Tap instructor for two years and also was a choreographer for the Artistic Fusion Company. Britt inspired the Company to always be professional, to always show and display their passion for dance, to go for their dreams, to be grateful for all that they have and for all that they receive. Britt is an amazing role model for everyone at Artistic Fusion and they were so blessed to be able to share in her journey and career. His credits include National Kmart Commercial, High School Musical I, II and III as a principal dancer, Vanessa Hudgens Music Video, Sara Lee Commercial, Echo 
Shoes Commercial and he can be seen as a feature dancer in the movie Fame. Also, he was a back up dancer for “The Veronicas” this season on So You Think You Can Dance and just finished a European Tour with Justin Timberlake’s new artist Esmee Denters who opened for Neo.
Tony Testa graduated from Artistic Fusion in 2005. He was one of the founding members of Artistic Fusion and the Artistic Fusion Company. He currently resides in Los Angeles and was seen on the Janet Jackson 2006-2007 Tour as dancer and choreographer, in the Dreamgirls movie, and is on the staff of New York City Dance Alliance and Monsters of Hip Hop. Recently, Tony added choreographer of Nickelodeons Dance on Sunset, choreographer for Cheetah Girls, to his resume and made his directorial debut in summer of 2008 at the Monster’s of Hip Hop Show, and has booked So You Think You Can Dance (Holland). He was also the assistant to choreographer Travis Payne, and assistant to Director Kenny Ortega on Michael Jackson’s This is It tour. Tony’s inspiration and legacy continue to thrive at Artistic Fusion and they are all so proud of him and his accomplishments! He was also the assistant to choreographer Travis Payne, and assistant to Director Kenny Ortega on Michael Jackson’s “This is It” tour.
This year is Artistic Fusion’s 15th Anniversary Season! They will be graduating Emily Muery, Riley Higgins and Bailey Mutschler (the original Miniʼs). These are the first dancers that Artistic Fusion had as students since they were 5 and 6 years old and will now graduate from Artistic Fusion’s program. WOW!
Please post a comment if you have had any experience with Jennifer Jarnot of Artistic Fusion Dance Academy.
If you would like more information about Artistic Fusion Dance Academy, visit their website at http://w ww.artistic-fusion.com, call them at 720.929.1820 or email them at info@afda.co. You can also like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
